Bolton Industrial Doors Ltd, which won the prestigious honour in the 1998 Bolton and Bury Business Awards, is to re-locate from Lostock Lane, Lostock to the first phase of Wingates 2000, the new industrial park at Westhoughton. The company currently repairs, services and installs all types of industrial doors and manufactures a range of energy-efficient, fast-acting roller doors.

Managing director John Thompson founded it in 1985 as a one man, one van operation operating from home.

Within three years it had grown to six men, to 18 in 1993 and 46 in 1995.

The company now employs 60 staff working from a 7,500 sq ft site which is no longer big enough to meet the long-term needs of the company, employees and customers.

Mr Ralph D'Attorre, Business Development and Marketing Manager, said: "Due to our continued successes and on-going development the directors of the company, John Thompson and Mike Calderbank, have taken the decision to move the business to new premises."

He said the new building in Westhoughton, which would be twice as large, was due to be completed during the summer.

Relocation was planned for the end of the year.

Mr D'Attorre said the new premises would include a "state of the art" office block to house all their divisional headquarters and manufacturing plant for various industrial door product lines.

These included their Klimate division responsible for rapid roll door sales - now employing nine staff since its formation 18 months ago.

Future plans included increasing their product range and services - hopefully meaning new jobs - together with a commitment to staff for continuous improvement to their working environment and personnel development through Investors in People.

He added: "Although the industry in general is going through a slight recession we have taken a long term view to secure the future of the company and its employees."

Wingates 2000 is a joint development between Commercial Development Projects and Barlows Plc.

There will eventually be three detached units totalling 40,000 sq ft of space.

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